Snickerdoodles
by titaniazoe
Summary: The pressure of protecting the universe weighs heavily on Allura, sometimes all you need for a pick me up is a a reminder of home. Platonic Voltron month day 2: Home.


Light, warm and comfortable, woke her gently from sleep. Blinking her eyes against the bright sun she let out a contented sigh, it was a gorgeous day. She had snuck out of the castle to avoid her lessons once again and had decided it best to take a nap in the gardens. The smell of flowers tinted everything a rose color.

She knew she should be getting back, her family would begin to worry, but couldn't quite find it in herself to care. Wandering further she came upon a familiar field, the beautiful blue wildflowers swaying in the breeze.

She should pick some for her mother, she would like that.

Bending, grasping the stem of the flower, she gave a gentle tug. The flower came free, but as she was moving to the next it turned to ash. Confused, not yet alarmed, she reached for another flower and it too turned to ash within minutes.

Brooding on this turn of events a shadow loomed nearly unnoticed, to cast itself over the field, and the gardens, and the castle.

That flower-sweet rose hue of the day turned deep and malevolent, becoming a cruel red.

Flames.

Unbearable heat swept over the field, jolting her out of her reverie and sending her scrambling towards the castle.

The flames leapt at her heals, igniting everything behind her turning it to ash.

Ahead of her the castle loomed, at it's doors a war raged. Two figures stood alone from the rest, their silhouettes waved at her through the heat. One a hulking figure with a sword raised to strike. The other was smaller though not tiny, his build similar to hers, his cape flapping in the gusts created by the walls of flames.

Her pulse rocketed, she knows him.

She was close now, close enough to see the sweat pouring off the figures and their muscles tensing with the strain of the fight.

"Father!" she screamed, the sound ripped from her painfully tight chest. The smoke was getting to her making her head hurt.

The smaller figure paused, his eyes locking with hers, in that brief moment she felt a gross sense of relief. Her father was right in front of her.

Then the sword held aloft by the big man, by Zarkon, plunged through his chest.

" _Allura_ " he wheezed, his eyes still locked on hers.

She stood frozen to her spot, staring wide eyed as her father fell and that hulking figure turned to her.

Shaking she looked up into the eyes of the well spring of her hatred and watch him lift his sword again.

He paused in his movements, a crazed smile stretching across his face.

" _You have nothing_ ", then he let his sword fall. And her world went black.

Gasping Allura lurched awake, nearly rolling herself off her bed trying to avoid a strike that was never really dealt. Breathing heavily she gripped the sides of her head, placing it between her knees.

She tried to calm her breathing but she could do nothing to stop the tears falling from her eyes. This dream comes to her often to torment her. She hasn't told anyone about it. The other paladins have to deal with quite a lot of their own issues, the absence of Shiro not aiding this. And it would hurt Coran as much as it does her if she were to tell him of this nightmarish version of their home.

Quietly as she could, she snuck to the kitchen. A warm drink or a sweet snack would help set her at ease before she tried to sleep again.

As she opened the door a smell hit her, strong and warm. It was one she did not recognize. The clang of two pots bumping together drew her attention to the other late night visitor to the kitchen.

"Oh Allura!" Hunk smiled sheepishly at her.

Giving him a small strained smile Allura nodded her acknowledgement.

She moved to find the drink that was her purpose for her late night rendezvous but stopped as Hunk pulled a tray from the oven and the smell in the kitchen increased in its power.

She glanced back at the tray as she moved from cabinet to cabinet. Focusing less on her search and more on the items that Hunk was now sprinkling some concoction on.

Her curiosity won out and she abandoned her search and crossed the kitchen to get a better look.

"What are those? I've never smelt anything like them?" She ask hovering at Hunk's shoulder.

Hunk jumped slightly and shot her a bashful look.

"The last time we stopped at a space mall I found this spice" he held up a sack that contained a fine brown powder. "It's smell and taste is just like a spice we have on earth called cinnamon. I was feeling a little homesick so I decided to try and make my favorite cookie".

He handed her one of the treats and picked one up for himself.

"They're called snicker doodles. My mom used to make them all the time in the fall. When I'd get home from school she'd have some cookies and hot chocolate waiting and we'd sit together and talk about our day."

He smiled and took a large bite from the cookie.

"These don't taste like hers but they're close enough" he gave her an earnest look, "They remind me of home".

Allura felt tears rush to her eyes but held them at bay, taking a bite from the cookie she let the flavor wash over her and tried to imagine Hunk and a woman who looked just like him talking and laughing and smiling over a plate of the treats. It filled her with a warmth the nightmare had robbed her of.

Looking up at the human beside her she gave a genuine smile, "Thank you for sharing your cookies with me, Hunk".

He nodded at her and continued to munch on his treat, Allura finished her own in companionable silence.

Satisfied she began to head back to her room, but paused in the doorway.

Turning back to Hunk who was still stood by the stove she smiled.

"I hope that one day this castle… or your fellow paladins will feel like home".

Hunk smiled, "it kinda already does".

 _Me too,_ Allura thought as she climbed back beneath her covers. So long as she had Voltron she would never have nothing.


End file.
